# CVE-2018-13379: Fortinet FortiOS SSL VPN Path Traversal

> Unauthenticated attackers can download system files via crafted HTTP requests in Fortinet SSL VPN web portals.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Jun 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2q79-m25p-r2q3

## What is CVE-2018-13379?

CVE-2018-13379 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Fortinet Fortios, published on 4 Jun 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ("Path Traversal") in Fortinet FortiOS 6.0.0 to 6.0.4, 5.6.3 to 5.6.7 and 5.4.6 to 5.4.12 and FortiProxy 2.0.0, 1.2.0 to 1.2.8, 1.1.0 to 1.1.6, 1.0.0 to 1.0.7 under SSL VPN web portal allows an unauthenticated attacker to download system files via special crafted HTTP resource requests.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-13379?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Fortinet Fortios, Fortinet Fortiproxy.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-13379?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-13379 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2018-13379 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-13379 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2018-13379 (github_poc): https://github.com/milo2012/CVE-2018-13379
- CVE-2018-13379 Script for Nmap NSE. (github_poc): https://github.com/Blazz3/cve2018-13379-nmap-script
- This module massively scan and exploit a path traversal vulnerability in the FortiOS SSL VPN web portal may allow an unauthenticated attacker to download FortiOS system files through specially crafted HTTP resource requests (CVE-2018-13379). (github_poc): https://github.com/Zeop-CyberSec/fortios_vpnssl_traversal_leak
- Fortinet FortiOS路径遍历漏洞 （CVE-2018-13379）批量检测脚本 (github_poc): https://github.com/B1anda0/CVE-2018-13379
- CVE-2018-13379 Exploit (github_poc): https://github.com/0xHunter/FortiOS-Credentials-Disclosure
- FortiVuln (github_poc): https://github.com/k4nfr3/CVE-2018-13379-Fortinet

## Other vulnerabilities in Fortinet Fortios

- [CVE-2024-23113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-23113/): Fortinet Multiple Products Format String (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-40684](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40684/): Fortinet Multiple Products Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-55591](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-55591/): Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy Authentication Bypass (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-21762](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21762/): Fortinet FortiOS Out-of-Bound Write (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-42475](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42475/): Fortinet FortiOS Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-13379 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-13379 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Fortinet Fortios, published on 4 Jun 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-13379 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: Fortinet Fortios. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-13379/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-13379/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-13379
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-13379
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-13379

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-13379/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.